The White Stuff

Professional snow removal, by Paige. The service came with a slide. My cost: hot chocolate, in a thermos!

The wind hasn't blown for a while, hard to believe, I know. The boys were out with the kites before the bus had time to pull away!

Now you see me...

Saturday I was the DS (designated skiier). Darren drove to Magic with us, then took off on his snowshoes to to top, the very tippy top, Monument Peak. I was just hoping to be above the fog!

Sunnier Times

We have been living in fog for days. Here's to remembering that the sun is out there... somewhere.

Out of House and Home

Do your kids eat a lot? I can't feed this one enough. This morning it was 6 pancakes. Sometimes 4 packets of oatmeal. After school yesterday two hotdogs, the other day the after school snack was baked potato with chili (thank goodness for leftovers, he would starve to death waiting for that one to get done!) Then dinner, oh my, dinner. He wants "real" food he tells me. It is amazing how much kids this age appreciate and NEED home cooked "real" food. The quick cook, fast food variety, as much as I love, and often need, the convenience, just doesn't do the trick. I tell you I'll be a good cook someday, I'm sure getting enough practice!

Turning lemons into lemonade

Do you love the wind like I do? Darren loves it. First windsurfing, now kite skiing! These are trainer kites, perfect size for the kids. It is actually really fun. The idea is to make the kite go in a figure 8. I thought it was great, but as far as being on skis on a sloped hill full of ice and snow with a huge sail pulling me at extreme speeds? I'm not so sure, but Darren loves it!

Brady attempting the impressive "loop". An adult stays near, a gust of wind like we have out here does some serious yanking on small people!

The J man letting it pull him across the field.

Hammered

The exact scientific medical term my dr. used when describing how I would feel when I returned to my "normal" activity level. Hammered. He was right. I paid for it for three days. But it was a great ride. At least until my friend and I were attacked by a pit bull and a lab. HUGE ones. Not just chased, but attacked. I've never had a dog be that serious about ending my life, usually they just want to chase. These got in front of our tires, one knocked me, my tire whipping to a 90 degree angle to my bike, sending me down on to my frame, I can't believe I stayed up! My chest has never hurt so badly from my heart beating so hard!

Bowling for dads

Our neighbor's kids came home for Christmas and built this awesome slide down their deck! This picture was taken just as J & P swerved off the well defined track and took out the camera man - their dad!

Don't tell Glen Beck

If you ever listen to Glen Beck you've heard his rant on cup stacking as a sport for PE. It is hilarious. You can imagine how hard I laughed when my kids started pulling out my stack of plastic cups from Costco and having races! It is actually pretty cool! Though probably not enough excercise to count as phys. ed.

Above is my parents in Part One of "Who his more coordinated, Grandpa or Grandma Harrison?" The rules and regs were designed by Brady who is turning out to be quite a diplomat.

A Look Back

On New Year's Eve we sat down to a candlelight dinner of home made pizza and made a list of significnat happenings of 2008. They are, in no particular order:

• River trip through Desolation and Greys Canyons (see june 08)
• Darren first to descend Middle Fork of Salmon in 08
• Darren and boys one of the last to descend Middle Fork of Salmon 08
• grass!
• planting 300+ trees
• LOTOJA
• Justin made deacon
• Justin says goodbye to his appendix
• books we read
• Paige baptized
• skiing
• Y not Tri
• Bryce Canyon 5k
• Lisa finally beats her time in Spudman
• Darren's first Spudman and rafting Murtuagh in same day (cuckoo)
• Zipline
• new niece born
• Justin finally reads a book Brady recommended :)
• Darren in bishopric
• Brady pitches 6 strike outs in a row
• Great Grandma Harrison dies at 97
• White Rim Trail
• Tahoe Relay
• cats (present and past, RIP)
• 3 kids in piano
• Paige gets ears pierced
• mtn. biking
• swimming in Dierkes
• Justin gets first shotgun
• Brady gets first pellet gun
• Paige gets first BB gun
• raising chickens
• slaughtering chickens
• soccer, basketball, cross country
• loving our backyard!

After all my complaining about Christmas I do have to say that I love a new year. There's something about a clean slate, hope of good things to come, the promise of doing better next time, making lists, and not having had a chance to mess up yet.... Maybe by Christmas my slate is so dirtied that I'm just ready to wipe it clean and get rid of the clutter, literally and figuratively. I love it when the clutter of Christmas is put away!